Feb

8

Ideas to Increase Sales, How to Do the Math

Filed Under Money, Statistics | 2 Comments

ANOTHER ROUTE TO REVENUE

The first time I heard a customer say, “I didn’t know you sold that!” was the day I realized I needed a Web page that revealed my site’s entire structure. I thought the home page navigation was enough. When I added a map page, it allowed customers to come through the front or back door.

Wednesday’s newsletter explains the very-easy process of creating a map for your Web site that acts as an extra magnet, drawing customers to areas on your site they didn’t know existed. Sometimes you have to lead prospects and clients by the hand, and a site map helps you guide them virtually.

NUMBER CRUNCHING SHOWS WHERE YOU CASH IN

Looking at data may not be the most-glamorous part of your business, but it’s certainly as important as design and delivery.

Data lets you see what’s selling most often so that you can sell more of the same, and it shows what’s not so popular so you can either reconfigure it or get rid of it.

This article gives you a look at how 1-800-Flowers.com compiles their data, and their numbers show you why it’s vital to know where your sales stand.

HOW RED EARNS REWARDS

Whether this is your first Valentine’s Day selling gift baskets or your fifth, this article uncovers numerous ways to cash in and bring loved ones together.

It will also help you choose products that, if not sold by February 14th, can still be part of your inventory because your selected items by color and not by message.

Nov

23

Earning a Profit, Giving to Charity, Male Buyers

Filed Under Donation Requests, Money | Comments Off

YOU’RE WORTH MORE

Anyone who’s been making gift baskets long enough to remember the AOL gift basket board will recall a designer who asked if it made financial sense to put $19 worth of product into a $25 gift basket. Many of us immediately advised her about lowering her costs in order to increase profits.

Wednesday’s newsletter encourages you to check your own profit margin to ensure that your income is as high as possible this holiday season and every other day you’re in business.

GET INVOLVED

This charitable season brings people together to create gifts and baskets for the needy. Are you involved? Your design expertise will put smiles on faces of children and other family members who receive gifts wrapped by you if you donate a few hours of time to a local charity.

Here’s a link to a story, with photos, of such an event to get you into the spirit. You’ll also see a photo, in the blog, of the trunk that’s part of the grand prize in the gift basket business contest.

MALE CALL

Men continue to be avid gift basket buyers. One designer notices many more men coming into her shop, and she wants to capitalize on sales to them.

Her question on increasing sales to men is at Ask The Gift Basket Expert. Read my response, and join the conversation.

Nov

19

Make Sure You Earn What You’re Worth

Filed Under Money | 2 Comments

As a gift basket designer, you deserve to make as much as possible from your expertise, creativity, and time invested honing your craft and expanding your education.

After all, what you create has a huge impact on the lives of many people and industries. Your gift baskets:

  • Forge new business relationships between small firms and multi-million dollar conglomerates.
  • Open new and renewed doors of opportunity between people and businesses that once seemed closed for good.
  • Express a heightened sense of comfort or joy over and above words or gestures.

    • Review your profit margin before another day ends to ensure that you properly compensate yourself for this very unique and special talent.

    Are you able to make a gift basket, charging three times the price of wholesale goods, or is your profit margin closer to a two times the markup? In either case, covering all costs and still having some left over to provide for personal needs is a good indicator.

    From there, you continue searching for quality inventory at lower costs that continues to excite customers.

    Contrary to some beliefs, everyone cannot design a custom, visually-appealing masterpiece that cements new and lasting bonds between people and companies. Your earnings must reflect this unique ability.

    Articles that focus on making sure you make money:
    10 Steps to Become a Successful Designer
    Your Options to Find Cash on the Internet

    Remember to enter the gift basket contest. The grand prize is valued at $300, and there are two more prizes. Deadline is 11/30. Get details here.

    Sep

    17

    Why Financial Worries Won’t Hurt Your Holiday Sales

    Filed Under Money | Comments Off

    I’ve been contacted by some of you and a few of my clients who are concerned about sales this holiday due to financial worries of the firms who buy from you.

    This concern is valid, but we’ve been here before, and the financial crisis will surely happen again. The good news is that you’re probably in a good position to make quick, strategic changes. There are no board of directors in your way, telling you not to move forward in the manner you choose.

    So what are your options to attract old clients and new prospects?

    1. Write a letter of encouragement and send it to current customers. Tell them that during these uncertain times, you’re ready to help them increase their business by delivering gifts and baskets to prospects they now have a chance to pursue.

    An example letter was recently added to Top 10 Letters.

    2. Make sure that you create multi-sized gift arrangements in your seasonal assortment. Designs made in small baskets to large, rectangular tins are corporate favorites. In addition, you can place a minimum order number on mugs to ensure that you sell multiples rather than singles (minimum of 3, 6, 12, etc.).

    Selling multiples is easy when you remind clients, in conversation or on your Web site, how many people to place on their gift list (support staff, cleaning crew, doorman, etc.).

    You’ll see a range of small, tall, and large designs on this baskets page.

    There will always been a reason for some people to shout, “The sky is falling!” It’s better to concentrate on where the money is falling.

    Jul

    6

    Bereavement Baskets, Quick Changes, Accounting Tips

    Filed Under Bereavement, Money, Sales-Increasing Strategies | Comments Off

    IT’S BEREAVED, YET BEAUTIFUL
    How many bereavement baskets did you create between January and June? As with all baskets, these heartfelt creations are made with tender-loving care. Wednesday’s newsletter provides a number of options for what to place in your bereavement baskets and how to ensure that clients will choose your gifts for this and all occasions.

    HOW TO BE A QUICK CHANGE ARTIST
    “Can you take out the cookies and put in cranberries?” is a question one client asked me a year ago. The latter is more expensive, so I had to do some quick thinking to satisfy her and still make a profit. You’ll get pointers from this article on making sure you don’t give away the store in one basket.

    ACCOUNT FOR YOUR CASH
    Keeping your business records intact takes initiative and dedication, and keeping your money out of the wrong hands takes lots of double checking. Even if you don’t outsource your accounting, this article shares advice on choosing trustworthy people to watch over your money.

    ← Previous Page — Next Page →